Steampunk Sundays: Forged by Desire & Bec McMaster's Book List

Shout-out to Sophia Rose of Delighted Reader for telling me that The Curious Case Of The Clockwork Menace is currently FREE on Amazon and I suggest you grab a copy while it's still a freebie.

On to the meaty parts! The Curious Case Of The Clockwork Menace is the prequel novella to Perry and Garrett's HEA and it takes place 3 years before FORGED BY FIRE. I loved this novella, it's a classic whodunnit mystery demonstrating Perry and Garrett's camaraderie and partnership as Nighthawks agents with hints of a budding attraction between the two.

The Curious Case Of The Clockwork Menace is a satisfactory quick read. It accomplished its goal of building-up Garrett and Perry's chemistry which exploded in FORGED IN FIRE. I enjoyed these two's adventure as they solve the mystery behind an actress' disappearance. It's like a steampunk version of Clue but with higher stakes with Perry having a close call with the perpetrator.

Things didn't really change much initially between these two in FORGED IN FIRE. They're still dancing around each other until Perry Lowell's past caught up with her which accelerated things and put it in perspective. I love this third London Steampunk novel, it's fleshed out in every angle and well written. Perry, IMO, is the BEST character McMaster has written yet. I don't know why exactly, I just connected with Perry and her backstory to the fullest. I loved her contradictions, how she's both strong and vulnerable at the same time to say the least. Garrett Reed is also a different kind of Alpha male which is another quality that I loved. He didn't bully his way in Perry's life, rather he showed her why Perry needs him and really showed her that he's reliable and can be trusted.

Anyway, I'm reviewing FORGED IN FIRE for Romance at Random so if you want to know more, you just have to (pretty please with cherry on top) check it out!. In the meantime, Bec's here to share something personal with y'all.

Books have always been my life, but some of them have had a significant impact on me, so here is a quick little list of the most influential books I've ever read. Whether I enjoyed them or not, they've shaped my career as a writer.

The Complete Grimm's Fairytales / Fairytales by Hans Christian Anderson - These books - or collections - definitely had an impact as a kid. I loved them, and growing up, was fairly aware that the movie versions were fairly sanitised. The romance writer in me adores fairytales of any form, but I have always liked them darker, or with a lesson learned. Perhaps that's why I prefer my reads now to be a little darker? Who knows?

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien - I was eight when I borrowed this from the school library. My family was setting out on a trip to Darwin, and I kept getting told to put the book down and enjoy the scenery, but I couldn't! This was so fascinating for me. It was my first foray into the fantasy, and when we got home I was hooked. I needed more to feed my newfound fantasy addiction.

The Silver Rose by Jane Feather - This was an important one, because it led me to romance. I remember being about 15-16 when I scoured the book shop one day and couldn't find anything I wanted to read. I'd read everything on the fantasy shelves at this particular shop, and wandered past the romance shelves. The silver cover caught my eye and when I read the back and discovered it was about a heroine and her beloved horses (also a major passion at that age), I had to have it. It was my first true entry into reading romance and I was addicted. I needed more. It was also at about this time that I started writing romance. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook - There are a million books I could put on this list, but The Iron Duke was one that led me to believe I could create my own steampunk world. I've always loved steampunk, but it took me a long time to realise that these movies/books etc. were actually called a specific thing - that this entire genre had a name. And that a little story idea that had been germinating within me for a few years could actually come to life.

Pawn in Frankincense by Dorothy Dunnett - The entire Lymond series was something I encountered at almost 20. This series is not for the faint of heart. It's heavy and, though I re-read it almost every year, I'm still finding little nuggets that the author has woven through. If you want a masterclass in subtlety - in show, not tell, then this is it. The hero and his actions are never quite what they seem, and the challenge is in discovering what he is up to - and why. So what do I find so fascinating? The entire political subterfuge, the anti-hero Lymond, who is my total book-boyfriend crush, even to this day, and the history. Pawn in Frankincense is the book I both enjoy the most and also dread. It puts you through the emotional wringer, and is a battle of wits with Lymond's arch nemesis. Part of what I love so much is the political backstabbing and danger - parts of this might have pushed it's way into my London Steampunk series, where my heroes and heroines fight in a dangerous, political world against seemingly impossible odds.

Lisa Kleypas books - I'll include these in the list, because her heroes always had an impact on me. Often working class heroes - self-made heroes - who had battled their way up through the world, and finally found love. I won't lie. Billionaires don't interest me so much, nor do dukes - not in the usual sense of things. I would much prefer to see a man work his butt off on his way to becoming a millionaire, and rise above his circumstances. That's the point of a hero's life that fascinates me - the struggle. That's where his true character lies, or so I believe, so Kleypas has definitely had an impact on the type of heroes I like to create.

As to my London Steampunk books, there are dozens of regencies that have had an impact, plus several Urban Fantasy's, where the vampires were dark, dangerous creatures... Altogether it led me to start creating an alternate historical world, which is ruled by a blood-drinking elite... And not the nice kind, either. Into this world come the self-made heroes and spunky heroines I like to create, fighting against all of the odds in order to earn their HEA.

So this is my list, I'd sure like to know yours.

Award-winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds. Read more about her at www.becmcmaster.com or follow her on Twitter, @BecMcMaster, Goodreads, & Facebook.

43 comments:

Whoa, I'm surprised you actually read and loved The Hobbit when you were eight! When I was eight, I was still reading Sweet Valley kids and whatever more simply books were out there, and quite sporadically at that! I just never felt like reading something that big. I tried LOTR last year too and couldn't get into it, so my eight-year-old me wouldn't have had the chance. Hahaha.

I read Pride and Prejudice when I was 11 and it changed my whole way of reading. I no longer read kid books, I started reading more adult books. The romance in it really hooked me and made me realize that when I grew up I wanted my own Mr. Darcy. :)Love the covers of these books, so beautiful.

McMaster's novella is on my Kindle, I can never resist a freebie, especially if it's part of one of my fav series. I was a little disappointed by Forged by Desire—it was good, but not this author's finest work IMO. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more had I read The Curious Case of the Clockwork Menace first like you did... I guess there's only one way to find out!

Cool! The novella and this novel can be read as stand-alone. The series plot is still loose to this point and the connections between the characters aren't that tight and complicated that you'll feel like you're missing out on something.

I love this series too, Braine! I loved Perry in Clockwork Menace, but I got impatient with her in Forged by Desire. The overall storyline captivated me just as they always do.

Fun to read your list, Bec! I love the idea of thinking through my book milestones. The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley was my big discovery as a kid b/c I loved horses too. My break into fantasy was The Chronicles of Narnia and then the Hobbit. My break into romance was through Romantic Suspense of Mary Stewart and Phyllis A. Whitney. First UF was Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson and my first Steampunk was yours. ;)

This is one of my favorite series! Love love love steampunk! :) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead was the book that got me into reading. I was lucky to be browsing in a bookstore with a friend, saw it on the shelf, and had to buy it. Started reading then and haven't stopped since :D

I do love this RICH series from an awesome Aussie author. I am lagging in my review of # 2. I may have to reread. I am a HUGE fan of Steampunk and I am finding I am lacking the time to read everything I want to. LOL! Same ol story from us all with books and time. Her cover art is amazing and her world building I love. I NEED to get back into this world and its characters. :)